Sterile case for electronic devices used in medical procedures

ABSTRACT

A sterile case for an electronic device used during medical procedures includes a rigid housing with at least one transparent face. An opening in the housing permits movement of the device into and out of the housing in, for example, a direction parallel to the length or width of the housing. A door attached to the housing moves between open and closed positions to seal the opening. A sleeve is configured to be received, when the door is in the open position, partially within the housing and to extend outward from the housing through the opening. The sleeve defines a bore aligned with the opening and configured to receive the device and to permit insertion of the device through the sleeve into the housing without contact between the device and a rim of the housing surrounding the opening.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/854,339filed Sep. 15, 2015, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 62/200,835 filed Aug. 4, 2015. Both of theaforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to the use of electronic devices insterile medical environments, and more specifically, but notexclusively, to a sterile case configured to accept and house anelectronic device (e.g., a non-sterile, portable electronic device) inorder to permit use of the device in a sterile medical environment.

BACKGROUND

Surgical and other medical procedures must be performed in sterileenvironments (i.e., environments that are free or at least substantiallyfree from biological contaminants including bacteria, fungi and viruses)to reduce the risk of infection in patients undergoing medicalprocedures. As a result, great care is taken to maintain sterility andprevent contamination of the environment from people or objects broughtinto the sterile medical environment.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in demand to beable to bring electronic devices into sterile medical environments.Surgeons and other medical practitioners use electronic devices, forexample, mobile or portable electronic devices, to capture and sharemedia from medical procedures and complex pathology and to accesssoftware applications useful during procedures. Images of pathology,surgical instruments, techniques, etc., and related medical procedures(whether still images or video) are useful for educating other surgeons,residents and medical students through, for example, medical journals,lectures, and webcasts. The images are also useful for consulting withother medical practitioners regarding treatment and for documentingtreatment. Software applications can be used, for example, to fuse liveimages with superimposed graphics to aid in placement and guidance ofmedical devices among other tasks. Many medical software applications,however, require that the device on which they are installed be in closeproximity to the procedure that is being performed. Because of theusefulness of electronic devices during medical procedures, a riskexists that surgeons or other medical practitioners will attempt tobring non-sterile devices into or around sterile environments and usethose devices, thereby increasing the risk of infection to patients.

The inventors herein have recognized a need for a sterile case for anelectronic device that will overcome one or more of the above-identifieddeficiencies.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment, there is provided a sterile case for anelectronic device. The sterile case includes a rigid housing having atleast one face that is transparent and has an opening configured topermit movement of the device into and out of the housing. The housingalso defines a rim about the opening. The case further includes a doorattached to the housing and configured to move between a closed positionin which the door closes the opening in the housing and an open positionin which the door is distant from the opening in the housing. The casefurther includes a sleeve configured to be received, when the door is inthe open position, partially within the housing and to extend outwardfrom the housing through the opening. The sleeve defines a bore alignedwith the opening of the housing and configured to receive the device andto permit and guide insertion of the device through the sleeve into thehousing without contact between the device and the rim of the housing.The sleeve may also be removable in the sense that it may be removedfrom the housing following the insertion of the device into the housing,and may also be disposable in that it may be disposed of after one or apredetermined number of uses.

According to another embodiment, there is provided sterile case for anelectronic device. The sterile case includes a rigid housing having atleast one face that is transparent and has an opening configured topermit movement of the device into and out of the housing. The housingalso defines a rim about the opening, and includes an attachment elementfor attaching the housing to another structure. The sterile case furtherincludes a door attached to the housing and configured to move between aclosed position in which the door closes the opening in the housing, andan open position in which the door is distant from the opening in thehousing. The case still further comprises a sleeve configured to bereceived, when the door is in the open position, partially within thehousing and to extend outward from the housing through the opening, thesleeve defining a bore aligned with the opening and configured toreceive the device and to permit and guide insertion of the devicethrough the sleeve and into the housing without contact between thedevice and the rim of the housing.

According to yet another embodiment, there is provided a sterile casefor an electronic device. The sterile case includes a rigid housinghaving a length and a width. The housing has a first face that istransparent and electroconductive, a second face defining a transparentwindow configured for alignment with a camera lens of the electronicdevice, and an opening configured to permit movement of the device intoand out of the housing in a direction parallel to one of the length andthe width, the housing further defining a rim about the opening. Thesterile case further includes a door attached to the housing by a hingeand configured to move between a closed position in which the doorcloses the opening in the housing and an open position in which the dooris distant from the opening in the housing. The case still furtherincludes a latch to secure the door to the housing when the door is inthe closed position. The case yet still further includes a sleeveconfigured to be received, when the door is in the open position,partially within the housing and to extend outward from the housingthrough the opening, the sleeve defining a bore aligned with the openingof the housing and configured to receive the device and to permit andguide insertion of the device through the sleeve and into the housingwithout contact between the device and the rim of the housing. The casefurther includes a seal formed on the rim of the housing or the door ofthe case.

The foregoing and other aspects, features, details, utilities, andadvantages of the present invention will be apparent from reading thefollowing description and claims, and from reviewing the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One or more embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be describedin conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designationsdenote like elements, and wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a sterile case in accordance withone embodiment of the present teachings;

FIGS. 3-6 are side views of the sterile case illustrated in FIGS. 1 and2;

FIG. 7 is a cross section view of a portion of the sterile caseillustrated in FIGS. 1-6 showing a sleeve of the case inserted into ahousing of the case;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a sterile case in accordance withanother embodiment of the present teachings in which an exampleelectronic device has been partially inserted;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the sterile case of FIG. 8 after theelectronic device has been fully inserted; and

FIGS. 10A-10G illustrate steps in a method for using an electronicdevice in a sterile medical environment in accordance with embodimentsof the present teachings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals are usedto identify identical components in the various views, FIGS. 1-7illustrate one embodiment of a sterile case 20 for an electronic deviceto allow the device to be used by surgeons or other medicalpractitioners in a sterile environment during a medical procedure. Thecase 20 may find application with any number of electronic devices. Forexample, in several of the illustrated embodiments, the electronicdevice comprises a mobile communications device and, in particular, acellular phone (or “smart phone”). It should be understood, however,that the mobile communications device may comprise any of a wide varietyof devices such as, for example and without limitation, devicesconfigured for wireless communication with a cellular or othertelecommunications network through which the device may maintaincommunication with the network despite changes in location of the deviceincluding, for example, tablets, personal digital assistants (“PDAs”),or a laptop computers with wireless transceivers built in or connectedthereto, to cite only a few examples. Electronic devices other thanmobile communications devices that the case 20 may be configured for usewith include, for example and without limitation, cameras for capturingstill images, cameras for capturing video images, and other suitabledevices, for example, other suitable portable and/or handheld electronicdevices. In any event, the case 20 includes a housing 22, a door 24, ahinge 26, a seal 28 and/or a seal 30, and a sleeve 32 that, in anembodiment, may be a disposable sleeve.

The housing 22 is provided to receive and contain the electronic deviceto prevent biological contaminants that may be present on the devicefrom coming into contact with persons and objects in a sterileenvironment. The housing 22 is generally rigid and may be made from avariety of conventional polymer materials, including in an illustrativeembodiment and without limitation, clarified polypropylene. The housing22 may be formed (e.g., through molding or other conventional processes)as a unitary or one-piece body to eliminate joints and thereby reducethe risk that biological contaminants will escape the interior of thehousing 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 22 has a shapesubstantially in the form of a rectangular prism. As used herein, itshould be understood that use of the phrase rectangular prism includesshapes that approximate a rectangular prism and therefore having alength l, a width w, and a height h. It will be appreciated, however,that in other embodiments, the housing may have a shape/form other thanrectangular prism, as in at least some embodiments the shape of thehousing 22 may be dependent on the shape of the electronic device it isconfigured to receive and may include features such as flanges, roundedcorners, etc. intended to provide ergonomic or other benefits.Accordingly, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to thehousing 22 having any particular shape(s).

In at least the embodiment wherein the housing 22 has a shape in theform of a rectangular prism, the housing 22 includes two opposed faces34, 36 defined by the length l and the width w and three faces 38, 40,42 extending between the faces 34, 36 with the faces 38, 40 defined bythe length l and height h and the face 42 defined by the width w and theheight h. A portion or all of at least one face—face 34 in theillustrated embodiment—is transparent in order to permit a user to viewand interact with typical touch screen displays on the electronicdevice. For similar reasons, all or at least one face—face 34 in theillustrated embodiment—may also be flexible and/or electroconductiveand/or include flexible (or deformable) and/or electroconductivefeatures. For example, in an instance where the face 34 is flexible,when a user presses an area of the face 34 that portion of the face 34may contact the touch screen of the device to allow the user'sselection/input to be received by the device. In any event, in anembodiment, the electroconductive face or features may be formed ofpolyethylene terephthalate or thermoplastic polyurethane, though otheror additional suitable materials may certainly be used.

Another face—face 36 opposite face 34 in the illustrated embodiment—maydefine a transparent window 44 configured for alignment with a cameralens of a camera in the electronic device. It should be understood thatthe relative location of the window 44 may vary depending on theconstruction of the electronic device with which the case 20 will beused. All or at least one face—face 36 in the illustrated embodiment—mayalso include corporate logos or other indicia (represented as box 46 inFIGS. 1 and 3), ancillary tactile components (not shown) approximatingthe underlying device components (e.g., raised, functional “button”overlaying the device's actual volume control button, etc.),instructions for use (not shown), or other indicia formed in or attachedto the face(s).

The housing 22 defines an opening 48 configured to permit movement ofthe electronic device into and out of the housing 22. The opening 48 maybe formed in such a way that it permits insertion and removal of thedevice while also minimizing the size of the opening 48 and the size ofany seal surrounding the opening 48. Accordingly, the opening 48 may beconfigured to permit movement of the device into and out of the housing22 in a direction parallel to the length or width of the housing 22 (asopposed to, for example a clamshell structure or inserting the devicethrough the sides 34 or 36). In the illustrated embodiment, the opening48 is formed in a side of the housing 22 opposite the face 42 anddefined by the width w and height h of the housing 22 such that thedevice is moved into and out of the housing 22 in the direction parallelto the length l of the housing 22. The side of the housing 22 in whichthe opening 48 is formed defines a rim 50 disposed about a portion orall of the opening 48.

The door 24 is provided to control access to the interior of the housing22. The door 24 is attached to the housing 22 by the hinge 26 and isconfigured to move between a closed position in which the door 24 closesthe opening 48 and an open position (shown in FIGS. 1-7) in which thedoor 24 is distant from the opening 48. The door 24 is sized to closethe opening 48 and engage the rim 50 when the door 24 is in the closedposition.

The hinge 26 is provided to attach the door 24 to the housing 22 and toallow movement of the door 24 between the open and closed positions. Thehinge 26 may comprise a pin extending between interleaved rings formedin or mounted on the housing 22 and the door 24; though other suitablehinges or hinge configurations may certainly be used instead (e.g., aliving hinge). The hinge 26 enables rotation of the door 24 about anaxis 52 between a closed position and an open position. The hinge 26 maybe a spring loaded hinge biasing the door 24 to a closed position inorder to reduce the chance that the door 24 will inadvertently openafter insertion of the electronic device and contaminate the sterilefield. It should be understood, however, that various latch and/or otherfeatures (not shown) may alternatively be formed in or mounted to thehousing 22 and/or the door 24 to enable the door 24 to be locked in aclosed position.

The seals 28, 30 are provided to reduce the risk of biologicalcontaminants escaping from the interior of the housing 22 afterinsertion of an electronic device. The seals 28, 30 may be disposedalong the rim 50 and/or on a surface of the door 24 facing the rim 50.The seals 28, 30 may, in an embodiment, be configured to engage oneanother. In another other embodiment, the seals 28, 30 may not engageone another but rather seal 28 may engage a surface of the door 24 andthe seal 30 may engage a surface of the housing 22. A variety ofconventional seals may be employed including labyrinth seals defining atortuous path for any contaminants to escape the interior of the housing22, gaskets, etc. While the description above has been with respect toan embodiment wherein the case 20 includes a pair of seals 28, 30, itwill be appreciated that in other embodiments, the case 20 may includeonly one seal (e.g., either seal 28 or seal 30) or may include more thantwo seals. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not intended to belimited to any particular number of seals.

The sleeve 32 is provided to reduce the risk of contamination ofexterior surfaces of the housing 22 during insertion or transfer of theelectronic device into the case 20. The sleeve 32 is configured suchthat a portion 54 of the sleeve 32 is received within and extends intothe housing 22 (best shown in FIG. 7) when the door 24 is in the openposition prior to insertion of the electronic device. The sleeve 32 isfurther configured to extend outward from the housing 22 through theopening 48 and includes a portion 56 that extends outward from theportion 54. The portion 56 may be configured to prevent insertion of theentirety of the sleeve 32 through the opening 48 and may therefore havedimensions that prohibit insertion of the portion 56 into the opening48. In the illustrated embodiment the portion 56 is longer and widerthan the portion 54 such that the portions 54, 56 define a shoulder atthe intersection of the portions 54, 56 configured to engage the rim 50.When the sleeve 32 is inserted within the opening 48, the sleeve 32prevents the door 24 from assuming the closed position until the sleeve32 is removed. The portions 54 and 56 may form a unitary or one-piecebody. The portions 54, 56 define a bore 58 that is aligned with theopening 48 when the sleeve 32 is inserted through the opening 48 anddisposed within the housing 22, and the bore 58 is configured to receivethe electronic device. In an embodiment, the sleeve 32 (or at least thebore 58 thereof) may have a generally funnel-like shape such that andthe bore 58 may taper inwardly moving in a direction from a pointfurthest from the opening 48 towards the opening 48 in order to guideinsertion and placement of the device into the housing 22. Because thebore 58 extends from one side of the rim 50 to the opposite of the rim50, the sleeve 32 permits insertion of the electronic device through thesleeve 32 and the opening 48 in the housing 22 without any possibilityof contacting the rim 50. As a result, any biological contaminants onthe device cannot be transferred to the rim 50 and/or other exteriorsurfaces of the housing 22 during insertion of the device. In anembodiment, the case 20 may be packaged such that the sleeve 32 ispre-installed in or with the housing 22. In other embodiments, thesleeve 32 may not be pre-installed in or with the housing 22 but rathermay have to be installed in or with the housing 22 before use of thecase 20. In any event, the sleeve 32 may be “removable” in at least thesense that it may be removed from the housing 22 following the insertionof an electronic device therein.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, another embodiment of a sterile case 60for an electronic device is illustrated that allows the device to beused by surgeons or other medical practitioners in a sterile environmentduring a medical procedure. The case 60 includes a housing 62, a door64, a hinge 66, one or more seals, for example, seals 67, 68, and asleeve 69 that, in an embodiment, may be disposable. Aside fromdifferences in shape to accommodate manufacturing, ergonomic use andother concerns, the housing 62, the door 64, the hinge 66, the seals 67,68, and the sleeve 69 are substantially similar to the housing 22, thedoor 24, the hinge 26, the seals 28, 30, and the sleeve 32 of case 20described above and illustrated in FIGS. 1-7 in terms of structure andfunction, and reference may therefore be had to the descriptionhereinabove.

The housing 62 does, however, differ from the housing 22 in that thehousing 62 includes attachment means, such as an attachment element inthe form of, for example, a rail 70, for attaching the housing 62 toanother structure to, for example, securely position the electronicdevice within the sterile environment of the procedure. The rail 70 isformed on, or coupled to, an exterior surface of the housing 62 and maybe formed on, or coupled to, one face of the housing 62. In theillustrated embodiment, the rail 70 is formed on a face of the housing62 opposite the face configured to allow viewing and interaction with atouch screen of the electronic device. The rail 70 may be configured toengage another structure in such a manner to enable movement of thehousing 62 relative to the structure in the direction of, for example,one of the length and width of the housing. In the illustratedembodiment, the rail 70 has a length that extends in the same directionas the length of the housing 62 and includes a body 72 extending from aface of the housing 62 in a plane perpendicular to a plane containingthe face of the housing 62 and two arms 74, 76 extending in oppositedirections from the body 72 at an angles to the plane containing thebody 72. It should be understood that the shape of the rail 70 may varyand, further, that various structures other than a rail could be formedin or mounted to the housing 62 to enable a stationary or movableconnection with another structure. Accordingly, the present disclosureis not intended to be limited to any particular rail or even anyparticular type of attachment element, but rather any suitableattachment element may be used.

Referring now to FIGS. 10A-10G, a method for using an electronic devicein a sterile medical environment in accordance with embodiments of thepresent teachings is shown. As shown in FIG. 10A, the method may beginwith providing a sterile case such as case 60. Case 60 may be providedin a sealed bag 80 that is delivered to the sterile environment prior toor during a medical procedure. Referring to FIG. 10B, the method maycontinue with the step of removing the sterile case 60 from the bag 80.It will be understood that the sterile case 60 itself should be handledby individuals in the sterile environment using sterile gloves or otherconventional means. Accordingly, while the bag 80 may be handled andopened by an individual having “unsterile” hands, the case 60 should beremoved from the bag 80 by an individual having sterile hands (e.g.,wearing sterile gloves). In an embodiment, this step may also compriseinserting the sleeve 69 of the case 60 (or at least a portion thereof)into the housing 62 once the case 60 is removed from the bag 80. Inother embodiments, the sleeve 69 may be pre-installed in or with thehousing 62 such that insertion of the sleeve into the housing 62 is notnecessary.

Referring to FIG. 10C, the method may continue with the step ofinserting an electronic device 82 into the case 60. This step mayinclude the substeps of inserting the device 82 through an opening inthe housing 62 of the case 60 and inserting the device 82 through thesleeve 69 that is disposed partially within the housing 62 and extendsoutwardly therefrom through the opening in the housing 62. In anembodiment, this step may be performed by an individual with unsterilehands as the device being handled/inserted is also unsterile.Accordingly, an individual with sterile hands may hold case 60 and anindividual with unsterile hands may insert the device 82 into thehousing 62 of the case 60 via the sleeve 69. As discussed above, thesleeve 69 may taper moving in the direction distant from the housing 62towards the housing 62 in order to guide the device 82 into the housing62. The structure of the sleeve 69 prevents contact between the device82 and a rim of the housing 62 surrounding the opening to therebyprevent biological contaminants on the device 82 from reaching exteriorsurfaces of the housing 62.

Referring to FIG. 10D, once the device 82 is fully inserted into thehousing 62, the method may continue with the steps of removing thesleeve 69 from the housing 62 and moving the door 64 from an openposition to a closed position. The sleeve 69 is removed from the housingby moving the sleeve 69 in a direction parallel to the length of thehousing 62. Once the sleeve 69 is removed, the door 64 is rotated usingthe hinge 66 to close the opening in the housing 62. Seals 67, 68 on thedoor 64 and/or the rim of the housing 62 surrounding the opening act toprevent escape of any biological contaminants from the device 82 and theinterior of housing 62 into the sterile environment. In an embodiment, alatch 83 may also be engaged so as to secure the door in a closedposition. More particularly, in an embodiment, the housing 62 and thedoor 64 may include complementary latching elements that when coupled orengaged, serve to latch and secure the door in a closed position. Latch83 may comprise any suitable latch known in the art as the presentdisclosure is not intended to be limited to any particular type oflatch. Additionally to facilitate the closing (and opening of the door64), in at least some embodiments the door 64 may further include a griptab 84 that a user may grip when opening or closing the door 64. Thegrip tab 84 may extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of thecontainer (as shown in FIG. 9), or alternatively may extend parallel tothe longitudinal axis or at some other suitable angle relative thereto.

Referring to FIG. 10E, once the door 64 is closed, device 82 may be usedin a conventional manner during a medical procedure. A flexible,transparent, electroconductive face of the housing 62 permitsinteraction with a touch screen display on the device 82. A transparentwindow on an opposite face permits use of a camera, flash, sensors, etc.on the device 82 to capture images of patient anatomy and the procedure.As shown in FIG. 10E, the sterile case 60 may be handled and held inplace by a medical practitioner. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10F,the method may include the step of mounting the case 60 (with theenclosed device 82) onto a structure such as arm 85. As discussed above,in one embodiment, the housing 62 includes a rail 70 formed thereon andconfigured to engage a complementary receptacle in the arm 85 in orderto mount the case 60 and allow the case 60 (and device 82) to be move inthe direction of the length of the housing 62.

Referring to FIG. 10G, the method may conclude with removing the device82 from the case 60 upon completion of the medical procedure. The device82 is removed by moving the door 64 from the closed position to an openposition such that the device 82 may be removed from the housing 62through the opening in the housing 62.

An advantage of a sterile case in accordance with the present teachingsis that it provides a means for using an electronic device, for examplea (unsterile) general purpose electronic device, in a sterile medicalenvironment, as well as provides a way of transferring an unsterileelectronic device into a sterile case without compromising the sterilityof the case. As a result, surgeons and other medical practitioners areable to realize the benefits of using such devices during medicalprocedures without increasing the risk of infection to patients.

While the invention has been shown and described with reference to oneor more particular embodiments thereof, it will be understood by thoseof skill in the art that various changes and modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

As used in this specification and claims, the terms “e.g.,” “forexample,” “for instance,” “such as,” and “like,” and the verbs“comprising,” “having,” including,” and their other verb forms, whenused in conjunction with a listing of one or more components or otheritems, are each to be construed as open-ended, meaning that the listingis not to be considered as excluding other, additional components oritems. Other terms are to be construed using their broadest reasonablemeaning unless they are used in a context that requires a differentinterpretation.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A sterile case for an electronic device, comprising: a housing having at least one face at least a portion of which is transparent and electroconductive, and having an opening configured to permit movement of the device into and out of the housing, the housing defining a rim about the opening; a door attached to the housing and configured to move between a closed position in which the door closes the opening in the housing, and an open position in which the door is distant from the opening in the housing; and a sleeve configured to be received partially within the housing and to extend outward from the housing through the opening, the sleeve defining a bore aligned with the opening and configured to receive the device and to permit and guide insertion of the device through the sleeve and into the housing without contact between the device and the rim of the housing.
 2. The sterile case of claim 1, further comprising a seal formed on the rim of the housing or the door of the case.
 3. The sterile case of claim 1, further comprising a first seal formed on the rim of the housing, and a second seal formed on the door of the case and configured to engage the first seal when the door is in the closed position.
 4. The sterile case of claim 1, further comprising a first seal formed on the rim of the housing and configured to engage a surface on the door when the door is in the closed position, and a second seal formed on the door of the case and configured to engage a surface of the housing when the door is in the closed position, wherein the first and second seals do not engage one another.
 5. The sterile case of claim 1, further comprising a hinge attaching the door to the housing, wherein the hinge comprises a spring-loaded hinge biasing the door to the closed position.
 6. The sterile case of claim 1, wherein the at least one face comprises a first face of the housing and the housing includes a second face defining a transparent window configured for alignment with a camera lens of the device.
 7. The sterile case of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes an attachment element for attaching the housing to another structure, wherein said attachment element comprises a rail formed on the exterior of the housing.
 8. The sterile case of claim 1, wherein an external surface of the sleeve is configured to engage the rim of the housing.
 9. A sterile case for an electronic device, comprising: a housing having at least one face at least a portion of which is transparent, and having an opening configured to permit movement of the device into and out of the housing, the housing defining a rim about the opening; a door attached to the housing and configured to move between a closed position in which the door closes the opening in the housing and an open position in which the door is distant from the opening in the housing; and a sleeve configured to be received partially within the housing and to extend outward from the housing through the opening, the sleeve including a first portion configured to be received within the housing and a second portion configured to be located outside of the housing and configured to prevent insertion of the entire sleeve into the housing, the sleeve defining a bore aligned with the opening and configured to receive the device and to permit and guide insertion of the device through the sleeve and into the housing without contact between the device and the rim of the housing.
 10. The sterile case of claim 9, further comprising a first seal formed on the rim of the housing, and a second seal formed on the door of the case and configured to engage the first seal when the door is in the closed position.
 11. The sterile case of claim 9, further comprising a first seal formed on the rim of the housing and configured to engage a surface on the door when the door is in the closed position, and a second seal formed on the door of the case and configured to engage a surface of the housing when the door is in the closed position, wherein the first and second seals do not engage one another.
 12. The sterile case of claim 9, further comprising a seal formed on the rim of the housing or the door of the case.
 13. The sterile case of claim 9, wherein the at least one face comprises a first face of the housing and the housing includes a second face defining a transparent window configured for alignment with a camera lens of the device.
 14. The sterile case of claim 9, wherein when the sleeve is disposed within the housing, the bore of the sleeve tapers inwardly moving in a direction furthest from the opening in the housing towards the opening in the housing.
 15. The sterile case of claim 9, wherein an external surface of the sleeve is configured to engage the rim of the housing.
 16. The sterile case of claim 9, wherein the first and second portions of the sleeve define a shoulder configured to engage the rim of the housing.
 17. The sterile case of claim 9, wherein an external surface of the first portion of the sleeve is configured to engage an interior surface of the housing.
 18. A sterile case for an electronic device, comprising: a housing having at least one face at least a portion of which is transparent and electroconductive, and having an opening configured to permit movement of the device into and out of the housing, the housing defining a rim about the opening; a door attached to the housing and configured to move between a closed position in which the door closes the opening in the housing and an open position in which the door is distant from the opening in the housing; and a sleeve configured to be received partially within the housing and to extend outward from the housing through the opening, the sleeve including a first portion configured to be received within the housing and a second portion configured to be located outside of the housing and configured to prevent insertion of the entire sleeve into the housing, the sleeve defining a bore aligned with the opening and configured to receive the device and to permit and guide insertion of the device through the sleeve and into the housing without contact between the device and the rim of the housing.
 19. The sterile case of claim 18, further comprising a seal formed on the rim of the housing or the door of the case.
 20. The sterile case of claim 18, further comprising a first seal formed on the rim of the housing, and a second seal formed on the door of the case and configured to engage the first seal when the door is in the closed position.
 21. The sterile case of claim 18, further comprising a first seal formed on the rim of the housing and configured to engage a surface on the door when the door is in the closed position, and a second seal formed on the door of the case and configured to engage a surface of the housing when the door is in the closed position, wherein the first and second seals do not engage one another.
 22. The sterile case of claim 18, wherein the first and second portions of the sleeve define a shoulder configured to engage the rim of the housing. 